Registration is open for the 2026 PQA Leadership Summit, November 5-6, in Arlington, Va. This year’s summit will explore PQA’s growing work to recognize pharmacies committed to continuous quality improvement, patient-centered care and value-based performance. The summit is an invitation-only event for PQA member organization leaders, directors and subject matter experts.
Members, as well as non-members, are invited to attend the summit’s pre-meeting PQA Workshop: Using the PQA Medication Therapy Problem Categories Framework in Practice, which takes place Thursday, November 5, 2026, from 8:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. ET. Through faculty-led instruction, interactive case discussions, and insights from experienced users of the framework, participants will explore approaches for supporting consistent application of the framework across pharmacists, organizations, and practice settings. Learn more about these events below.
We also highlight our members’ perspectives on Part D coverage change, patient access and food as medicine. If you have news you’d like for us to spotlight in an upcoming Five For Friday, send us an email!
— Micah Cost, PharmD, PQA Chief Executive Officer
Understanding Patient Response to Part D Coverage Changes
A case study involving Walgreens evaluated Medicare Part D plan switching in relation to a community pharmacy’s decision to no longer accept certain Medicare Part D plans during open enrollment. The data focused on Medicare Part D plans from 2025 to 2026 and was further broken down by accepted or nonaccepted plans.
Identifying Patients at Risk of Stroke and Heart Disease
A pilot program involving the National Community Pharmacists Association’s Innovation Center and CPESN underscores the importance of patient access to local pharmacies. The program uses rural pharmacies to identify and screen patients at risk of stroke and heart disease may have saved hundreds of lives, improved outcomes for thousand of patients, and saved millions of dollars by preventing hospitalization.
Improving Glycemic Control with Food Is Medicine Trial
Adults with type 2 diabetes and Medicaid coverage who received weekly medically tailored grocery deliveries achieved significantly better glycemic control than those receiving usual care, according to a randomized controlled trial at Kaiser Permanente. For pharmacists, the finding reframes food access as a modifiable driver of hemoglobin A1C that belongs alongside pharmacotherapy in the care of patient facing economic and social barriers.
Leadership Summit Focused on Pharmacy Recognition
PQA is developing a national recognition program for pharmacies that consistently deliver high-quality care and demonstrate readiness for value-based arrangements. The program is centered around four important areas of care delivery in a connected health care ecosystem and will be the focus of the 2026 PQA Leadership Summit.
With extensive input from pharmacy stakeholders, PQA is developing criteria for a recognition program based on these four areas:
- Patient-centered approaches to care
- Collaborative team-based care
- Quality improvement and health equity
- Data exchange capabilities
The criteria will be consensus-based, based on clinical guidelines and best practices, and in accordance with principles of quality improvement and performance measurement
Attendance at the Leadership Summit is an exclusive benefit of PQA membership, and there is no registration fee. PQA allows two individuals from each PQA member organization to attend. Please contact your organization’s Membership Primary Contact prior to registering. Please direct questions about registration to Registration@PQA.org.
Your Next Engagement Opportunities
Network, Learn and Collaborate with PQA
- Save the date the next Quality Industry Spotlight, powered by PQA on September 17, 1-2 p.m. ET. Panelists will examine how health plans and clinical teams can bridge the gap between pharmacy operations and medical economics. This webinar is sponsored by Clarest Health
- Save the date for PQA’s next Quality Forum Webinar on February 12, 2026, 1-2 p.m. ET.
- Save the date to join us at the 2026 PQA Annual Meeting, May 12-14, at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Md. Submissions for poster abstract proposals are due Friday, January 16, 2026. Learn more.